Spring Cleaning
by whispered love 13
Summary: The Rookie 8 are being assigned to do a bit of Spring Cleaning, and Sakura is stuck cleaning the last place she wants to be in. What could be worse? Cleaning the last place she wants with Ino. Quick Oneshot a bit of fluff SasuXSaku


A/N: Hey everyone! Here is a quick One shot that came to my head, the fluff goes everywhere just look closely. Hope you enjoy it because I enjoyed writing it. :)

Disclamer: Naruto is not mine, just the fanfiction.

**Spring Cleaning**

"All right!" Tsunade said to all the teams that assembled in front of her. "Team Kurenai will go to the Ichiraku Ramen shop." She arranged the papers for what they were expected to do there, what to look out for.

'_NO!'_ Konoha's number one knuckle headed ninja cried in his head, holding his head in frustration. '_My Free Ramen!'_

"Naruto, what is it?" Sakura's green orbs asked him. Naruto quickly tensed back up, trying to hold his composure but deep down his heart was aching. All that ramen that he would have eaten…

"…nothing Sakura-chan…" Naruto mumbled, trying his hardest not to cry out in despair as Shino, Kiba, and Hinata approached the fifth Hokage to receive their papers.

"Try not to get bugs or dog hairs inside the ramen. Remember we are Spring Cleaning, and that means get things cleaner, not messier." Tsunade recalled, a smirk on her face as she laughed at her own joke. She turned her attention to the next team. "Team Asuma, you will be in charge of cleaning the training grounds." Shikimaru sighed, muttered his usual troublesome words and walked up to receive the same kinds of papers as Shino did for his team. Ino too acted a bit annoyed to the fact that she had to clean the training grounds. She would have rather cleaned a house, or someone's house…

Tsunade continued, calling forth Naruto and Sakura to receive their place that they would be instructed to clean. By the time they got there, Naruto had to shout out what was eating at him.

"Granny Tsunade I seriously doubt that team Kurenai is up for cleaning the Ichiraku Ramen shop. I think I am a highly more qualified ninja for cleaning up the Ichiraku-"

"You wanna say that to my face Naruto?" Kiba snarled while Akamaru let out a bark.

"I don't wanna be going to the Ichiraku anytime soon and taste dog flavored Ramen!" Naruto countered, having Kiba getting ready to charge at him, forgetting that they were in a cramped office and not outside. Sakura grabbed Naruto by the throat twisting her arm around him to shut him up while Shino too was calming down his comrade. Tsunade however was not listening nor paying attention to the two party members that were more than ready to dismantle her office. She kept digging inside her secret scrolls, trying to find the papers and that key that was given to her over 2 and a half years ago. '_Where did I leave it?'_ she wondered.

"Granny Tsunade-"

"Wait! I'm looking for yours." Tsunade yelled, showing her impatience, and scaring the soul out of Naruto. After a few scrolls being thrown aside and papers thrown about, making her office dirtier than usual, she managed to find the box that she was looking for. It was small, and once she brushed off the dirt that settled upon it, an emblem appeared. A tiny fan with the colors of red and white.

"Sakura, Naruto, you are going to clean the Uchiha Household."

Sakura froze, releasing Naruto, who in turn plopped on the floor, just as stunned as his teammate was. They were going to do what?!

"Tsunade-sama" Sakura began, snapping out of it first, "It has been almost three years since anyone stepped inside the house. No one has been there since… Sasuke-kun left…" she whispered that last bit to herself but still audible for everyone to hear.

"Sakura, are you questioning what I am assigning you to do?"

"No, but-"

"Silence, I will hear no more. You are to clean the house and that's all that there is to it. Everyone is excused, be prepared to begin your missions in the morning." Everyone nodded, and began to depart. Sakura and Naruto still stayed in the office, making Tsunade look up from her documents. Both Sakura and Naruto had that same look of dissatisfaction, making Tsunade sigh and stand up to confront the two sixteen year olds.

"Sakura, Naruto-"

"Why do we have to clean his house!?" Naruto cut Tsunade off, catching her off guard, "Just like Sakura-chan said, it's been over 2 years since anyone has been there! Why do we have to clean somewhere where they don't want to be in?!" He yelled to her, letting out frustrated emotions that were always building up inside him.

"Naruto I'm aware of how long it has been since Sasuke left. But don't you think that it would be disrespectful if he were to come home any of these days and find his home to be full of dust and abandoned as if we abandoned him?" She asked him, making him see reason. Sakura glanced up at her mentor, realizing that what she was saying did make sense. The last thing she wanted was for him not to feel welcome once he was home. "I figured since the two of you were his teammates he would only trust you two to do such a task."

"We are his teammates." Naruto said, correcting his Hokage. Tsunade overlooked his brash comment and approached the two of them, opening the box with the red and white fan, revealing a key with a rope around it. "This is the key to the gate way. We received it after the massacre." She explained the key's whereabouts, how she came upon it. "And I'm sure you guys know already which house it is. I won't ask you to clean everywhere but if you can, or if you want to, a nice sweep here and there by his house would add a nice touch. It's the only key that we have, so don't lose it." She told the both of them, but it was more directed toward Naruto.

Naruto grabbed the key from the box and began twirling it around his fingers. "Don't worry Granny, we'll take good care of it-" around the same time that he said that, the key decided to go against him, and like a mind of its own, flew out of his hands landing in the huge piles of paperwork, lost like a child in a labyrinth.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled, while Naruto cringed, afraid of receiving a devastating punch from his pink-haired teammate. "Look what you did!"

"Sorry sorry sorry Sakura-chan!" Naruto repeated over and over again, hoping to avoid being thrown into a nearby wall. The last thing he wanted was to get Sakura mad, with that mad strength of hers.

Sakura sighed as she began rummaging through the disorganized folders, papers and scrolls, trying to see where the key landed. Then she saw something gleam, plastering a smile on her lips as she withdrew herself from the ocean of papers with the small key inside her hand. "Got it." She announced.

"Good job Sakura, its better you hold onto it, or else you will have to be looking all over the village." Tsunade said. "Well get some rest and buy your cleaning supplies to start your mission in the morning." She explained to them as she walked them out of her office, shutting the door behind them.

* * *

After their shopping spree at the super market, both Naruto and Sakura were ready to call it a night. And if it wasn't for Naruto's stomach growling they would have, but Sakura's stomach was slowly luring her as well to the Ichiraku Ramen. One plate sure wouldn't hurt her diet. Once they arrived, they realized that they were not the only ones who craved a night's snack, as all the other Rookie Eight teams were there as well: Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Ino, Choji and Shikimaru.

"Hey everyone," Naruto greeted, taking a seat next to Hinata, who was blushing her usual scarlet color. Sakura greeted everyone as well as she walked to the seat next to Naruto, which was also the next one to Ino. "I'll take the biggest bowl you got Old Man, and add the extra eggs and noodles!" Naruto told the owner who started right away.

"What about you Sakura?" the owner's daughter asked.

"One regular bowl please, I'm not that hungry." Sakura replied, trying to control her stomach that was betraying her.

"So the Uchiha's house huh? That sounds troublesome." Shikimaru said as he finished his noodles.

"You don't even know the half of it." Naruto whined, "I wanted to clean this place! All the ramen I could eat and not having to pay it is ten times better than cleaning that dobe's house."

"Naruto, stop badmouthing Sasuke-kun!" Ino said, "You're doing such a huge favor for someone like him. I only wish I could go, and see what his home is like, don't you Sakura?" Ino asked her.

"I'm sure it will be a normal house, I don't know why you think it would be anything other than that." Sakura said as the owner handed her a medium sized bowl of fresh ramen, while Naruto was already halfway done with his huge bowl. Sakura began blowing gently on her steaming bowl, jumping off her chair as she heard Naruto cry out.

"HOT HOT HOT! BU GOO SOO GOO!" Naruto yelled as his tongue was on fire. Everyone just looked at him and his impatience, scoffing, laughing, timidly admiring. "Sakura-chan, wha's wong?" Naruto asked his teammate who was on the floor. Sakura simply shrugged it off, and placed herself on her seat and began to blow again on her ramen. All of a sudden she felt she was being watched. Too closely.

"Ino… what are you doing?" Sakura asked as her friend was standing unbearably close to her.

"Um… nothing, just making sure that you eat. Growing girl and all." Ino explained, waving her hands around her face. Sakura was still eyeing her, trying to figure out why it was that she would not stop looking at her, or her food for that matter.

"Would you like some ramen?" Sakura offered, only to have Ino shake her head and give a straining smile.

Naruto downed the rest of his ramen, wiping his mouth with his hand. He more than enjoyed that bowl, so much that he could have probably had a match with Chouji and possibly win it. He looked at Sakura and noticed that she still was not eating her ramen. She was letting it go to waste!

"Sakura you gonna eat that?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto you just had an entire bowl that only Chouji could have finished!" Ino exclaimed. Sakura however shrugged it off and gave her bowl to Naruto who was again too eager as he burned his tongue a second time.

"Sakura! Why did you do that?!" Ino yelled, a bit more angrier than she would have liked to express.

"It's okay Ino, I'll just eat whatever mom made at home. Really, I mean what's the big deal?" Sakura asked her noticing that she was trying to change the subject.

"No reason, I mean why would I care? I don't honestly care." Ino was losing her focus; she excused herself and pulled away from where they were all gathered as if by a magical string.

Sakura looked back at the direction she was heading and sighed, thinking to herself that it would be better to go on home.

"That did just the trick!" Naruto sighed with relief only seconds later to get a horrible pang in his stomach. He fell over the chair he was sitting on, making Hinata gasp and Sakura turn around.

"Naruto? Are you okay?" Sakura asked as she approached him trying to see what was wrong.

Naruto darted out of the shop and went to the nearest bush, puking out all the ramen that he just devoured minutes ago.

"That's what he gets for eating too much ramen." Kiba said.

"I-I-I hope N-Naruto-kun is okay…" Hinata asked through worried eyes.

"I'll go check on him. See you guys all later." Sakura departed from the shop and walked toward the bushes where Naruto was spilling his guts out into. Literally.

"Naruto? Are you okay?" Sakura asked. At the same time Naruto tried looking up to give her the okay sign only to go back into the bush throwing up acid this time.

'_He's no longer throwing up ramen, that's his stomach acid… this could be bad. His esophagus could be severely damaged if he doesn't stop throwing up.'_ Sakura tried to help Naruto stand up who only kept on falling down into the bushes to throw up some more. Sakura stored up chakra in her arms and gently began massaging his stomach, making it easier for her to take him to the hospital. Even as she was half dragging him, he would continue throwing up acid, making him almost lose consciousness. Sakura didn't understand, normally a stomach flu would stop after applying some chakra, but this was no ordinary stomach flu. Someone put something in the ramen, trying to poison Naruto or Sakura. And Sakura knew just who that could have been.

Once they finally reached the hospital, Sakura left Naruto in the care of Tsunade, who was able to stop his vomiting with a swipe of her hand. Tsunade walked to Sakura after she left Naruto in Shizune's care.

"He'll be fine. There was an herb in the ramen that caused him to continuously throw up. We can extract it out and he'll be better in two or three days." Tsunade reassured Sakura.

"Does that mean that the mission is cancelled?" Sakura asked after receiving the good news of her teammate.

"Well, you can still go by yourself or ask someone to go with you. I can assign someone also, possibly Ino or Hinata. But if you want I can postpone it for you two."

"I think that would be best." Sakura made her decision, waiting would be better.

"Tsunade-sama! I heard what happened to Naruto is he all right?" Ino jumped out of nowhere surprising the Hokage and making Sakura jump out of her skin. She approached the two of them, the smile on her lips almost creepy. Sakura balled her hands into fists getting ready to knock some sense into her. What could she be thinking? Putting Naruto through that.

"Ah, Ino, Naruto just had some food poisoning, but he'll be better in a few days. As I was telling Sakura, her mission is postponed unless you or someone else would like to help her."

"If it's for the good of the mission, I'll take Naruto's place, and help you clean Sasuke's house!" Ino squealed with overexcitement. Sakura stammered but Tsunade raised her hand to stop her.

"The sooner the mission is done the better. You know that as well as I do Sakura." Tsunade was unaware of Sakura's scowl keeping her head down as she examined her clipboard. "Don't worry, if Naruto gets better I'll send him over. But for the meantime, Ino will be the replacement. Dismissed Sakura and Ino."

Tsunade left the two girls to themselves. Ino was jumping up in down, squealing in anticipation that she was actually going to see Sasuke's house. Sakura however, was seething. She could not even believe that she was going to clean the house of the boy she confessed her love to, but she was also going to clean his house, with Ino. She was out the door before Ino could rub it in her face. She had enough for one day, and her stomach was killing her. But not so much as her heart was, feeling cold as a winter's night.

* * *

The following day, Sakura awoke with the same anti-sentiment that she felt last night when she learned that Ino was going to be Naruto's replacement in the hospital. It was all because of her mission that was putting her into such a foul mood. What could possibly bring her into worse spirits than realizing she had to clean the Uchiha's home? Cleaning it with a giddy Ino. Sakura could hardly hide her anticipation as she left her house.

As the two met up, Sakura was in no mood to hold a conversation with the person responsible for putting her teammate in the hospital, but Ino didn't seem to notice her muteness.

"I wonder what it looks like inside! Maybe there might be a shrine dedicated to yours truly, or maybe tons of pictures of me." Ino kept fantasizing how Sasuke's room might be cluttered with pictures of Ino only to have it disillusioned by Sakura's snickering.

"Ino, I seriously doubt that." Sakura said, all the while trying to stifle her laughter as best she could. She didn't want to hurt her feelings or else she would be doing the work all alone.

"Hn! You're just jealous Billboard Brow, because there could be the possibility that I am what he thinks about all day and night." Ino said sticking her tongue out at her. Sakura scoffed at her.

"Why would I be jealous of a pig?"

"Just don't be disappointed when you see that I'm all he ever thinks about in his house." Ino announced.

As Sakura continued tuning in and out of Ino's fantasies, she too began to wonder what the almighty Uchiha's house would look like. Would it be any different than her house? Probably richer, she thought, considering his parents were a wealthy bunch.

"Sakura where are you going? We reached the gate!" She yelled Sakura breaking into her thoughts.

Sakura stood in front of the high gate, looking for the box that would operate the gates. Once she found it, she inserted the key, turned it and watched the machines work to open it. They creaked loudly, displaying that they haven't been used in a long time. It brought shivers down Sakura's spine, making her think of a scary movie in which a man with an axe would be standing right behind her ready to chop off her head. By the looks of it Ino too was having the same type of fear.

They slowly stepped inside the deserted land, being careful as to look for anything and everything. They saw dust covered walls, fungi growing out of cracks, water stains visible on the dry wood floors. If they saw closely in some areas, they could still see small traces of blood. Sakura could never imagine what it was that Sasuke was thinking, still living here. His dreams must have been filled with that fearsome night. Ino was walking right beside her, her mouth finally shut. They continued walking through the houses, stores, until they found the house, his house. The Uchiha manor.

Compared to the other houses around it, it looked a bit better but it was still in pretty bad shape. There were weeds infiltrating the grassy plane of the front yard. The house from the outside seemed pale, gloomy, and dust was covering every aspect but not as thick as the other houses. It was the complete opposite of welcome, and it reminded her of him. She could see him in a house so cold and uncaring. She lifted the cleaning supplies as she piled them on her back, signaling to get started. Ino snapped out of the trance that the house placed on her, trying her hardest to be just as sane as Sakura, but to no avail. How Sakura was holding her composure in such a creepy surrounding was beyond her. She was regretting coming here, alone, with her, and no guys. To think Sasuke would live here alone.

They began in the yard, pulling weeds to make the front yard seem adequate. While one was doing that, the other kunoichi was scrubbing the floors of the porch. When one would tire of the tedious chore, they would change places, trying their hardest to finish quickly but efficiently. They had to keep reminding themselves that they had a whole house to do and some of the other houses, if they wanted to.

"I should have brought some flowers," Ino said wiping her brow that held a tinge of sweat. Sakura stopped scrubbing to listen to what Ino had in mind. "You know, something to make this place seem more welcome. Roses, to show love, daises."

Sakura scoffed at that. "I seriously doubt that he would care about something as to which flowers would prep up his house."

"Maybe that would make him come back. A home where beauty is vivid."

"Please the only reason he would come back is if his revenge is complete. Flowers here would just wilt and die, just like everything that surrounds him." Ino planned to retort at that, to defend her Sasuke, and his valor, but stopped and bit her tongue when she saw that Sakura had her face buried behind her pink hair. This must have been the last place she wanted to be. She continued to her task not talking about how she thought about bringing in a fountain as well.

After three hours of taking turns cleaning the porch and pulling out weeds, they were finally done. All that was needed was to cut the grass, but Sakura decided that she could get Naruto to do that later. Next stop: the inside of the house.

Sakura opened the door letting a few specks of dust escape from being crowded inside the house for over two years. She pushed the door further out, stepping two feeble steps inside.

It was pitch black inside.

"Let's open the curtains," Ino walked toward the window, spreading light inside that penetrated the darkness fiercer than any kunai could into bare skin. Once all the curtains were open did Sakura take it all in.

Couches were arranged across from another the same size. A coffee table was set between them. It looked so normal, Sakura thought. She didn't know why but she expected so much more. It was so plain, reminding her of home. The only main difference was that these couches and other furniture was covered with dust, whereas Sakura's mother was a clean freak and made sure no speck of dust ever landed on her couches. Sakura handed Ino the feather duster as she picked up the broom, and began sweeping the floor. Ino began dusting the counters, the couches, the coffee table, everything was done in silent. Ino was trying to hum, but no tunes were coming to her head, she was too happy to think of any songs. Sakura saw that she was trying to make an effort and tried humming something so she could catch on, but it was also proving to be difficult. Thoughts were clouding her head that made it hard to stick to a tune as well.

"Living room and kitchen are finally done." Sakura announced. "Thanks for your help Ino, I don't know how long it would have taken me if it was just me by myself. I don't even think Naruto would have done as much as you did."

"Well, hey what can ya do, I am a great help." Ino said, her mind elsewhere. "I guess we should continue to doing the rooms…" Ino casually said, but before Sakura could say anything she was running toward Sasuke's room squealing with anticipation just like last night when she was instructed to be Naruto's replacement. Sakura sighed, and began trudging after her.

As Sakura walked by the hallway that leads to his room, she stopped to notice 3 pictures that were positioned along the long corridor. One was a picture of a woman carrying a young boy who no doubt was Sasuke. The woman was smiling gently at the little boy, who in turn was smiling toward the camera. Such a carefree smile, something that Sakura maybe only saw once on his porcelain face, while they were in Team 7 together. In the other picture were an older man and an older boy, no doubt his father and older brother. Itachi's eyes were so distanced in the picture while his father had his arm around his elder son, the same stern look that Sakura would see on her own father from time to time. But this look was stronger, proud even. You could see that they were a strong clan; just by the way they glared at the camera screen, their Sharingan blazing. The final picture that was right in the middle of the two frames was a picture of the whole family, making Sakura's heart melt. Sasuke was perched on top of Itachi's shoulders, a wide smile spread across his childish face. Itachi was also looking like he was having the most fun in his life just by being next to his little brother. Sasuke's mother was standing right next to her husband who held her by the waist, in a protective manner, but his face was also a bit carefree, making him appear like a completely different person than the one in the picture of him and Itachi only. Sakura wondered why Sasuke would never put down the pictures of his family, of his brother. From what she heard, he was solely responsible for the massacre. One of the many questions she had for him that would forever remain unanswered. She picked the family picture from where it was hanging and took it to the coffee table, placing it right in the middle, hopefully bringing happy memories into a secluded and neglected home.

"Sakura, don't you wanna see his room?!" Ino broke the silence, as always, invading Sakura's thoughts like always. She left the living room and passed the hallway, to set her eyes on the raven haired boy's room.

Again, it was not exactly what she expected. It was normal, a bed, a dresser, a closet closed shut, hiding its secrets from the rest of the world. She was sure it was disappointing to Ino since there were no shrines of her or any pictures as well. It was unbelievably plain, she thought.

"I'll go get the cleaning supplies." Ino said and left Sakura alone in the room.

Sakura traced her fingers on the top drawers, finding it every bit of dirt she expected. It was just as filthy as the other places they cleaned. She continued walking around his room, until her eyes caught sight of another picture frame. She lifted it up showing the picture that she knew would be of her former team. Tears were falling down her face, as Sakura slowly remembered all the times they spent together. She let the picture frame fall onto the floor shattering just like she felt every time she thought about him.

Ino rushed cak inside to see a picture on the floor. "What happened?" Ino asked stepping gently to avoid any glass. Sakura turned to Ino and collapsed on her arms.

"I don't even know why we are doing this. He's not going to come back Ino." Sakura sobbed on Ino's purple shirt. She didn't know what to do. Ino always loved Sasuke, but only because he was very handsome and really really cool. But Sakura, Sakura knew him. He shared things with her that opened him, made him closer to Sakura that Ino only wished she could. Sakura was the outlet that he needed to escape his world of obsession and revenge. She gave him life that he knew while he gave her sanity.

"Don't say that Sakura. He'll come back." Ino reassured her, stroking her hair as Sakura was slowly calming down. "You are what keeps him together, don't you know?" Sakura pulled away from her and stared at her, a bit stunned to believe that Ino would say something that involved her and Sasuke. Ino slowly got up and picked up the picture that was on the floor, and handed it to Sakura. "You and Naruto are what keeps him together. No matter where he goes, he has to come back, for both of your guys' sake." Ino explained. Sakura stayed Staring at the picture frame, looking at Naruto's annoyed glare, Sasuke's pouting face and her beaming face. Ino had a point. At least she hoped she did. She still felt that after all these years, there was still a part of him, that kept him rooted here, forcing him to return. That' what she would have to strive for.

"Thanks Ino, really." Sakura looked up at Ino, giving her a smile that was wider than what was in the picture frame.

* * *

Finally, after a whole day's work, Ino and Sakura managed to finish all the rooms and bathrooms, making the house spotless. Ino left earlier to meet up with Shikimaru and Chouji to eat a quick snack. Sakura let her go, seeing that there wasn't much left to clean that she couldn't do on her own. She placed all the cleaning supplies in a closet, and was getting ready to call it a night. But first she thought it would be nice to pay Naruto a visit. She shut the door, and gasped in the cold air. She walked trying to keep herself warm as she was approaching the gates of the Uchiha compound. As she was approaching it however, a cloaked figure appeared, making Sakura tense.

"You are trespassing stranger." She yelled out into the night, as the cloaked figure kept walking. She pulled out a kunai, gleaming in the moonlight.

"Hn." The cool voice said, sending shivers down her spine.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun…" She whispered, getting goose bumps all over her body. It was him, only his voice would do that to her. She ran toward him as he looked as though he was about to collapse onto the floor. "Sasuke-kun!" she yelled at him. She pulled over the cloak from his face to find him bloody all over. If she grabbed his left side she would have noticed that his entire left arm was broken, but even through all that he had a huge smirk on his face.

"How can you possibly be happy at a time like this? You're bleeding all over!" She yelled at him.

"Because I'm home… for good." Sasuke replied.

It was that sort of thing that made Sakura's heart melt all over again. If she didn't realize how beat up he was she would have hugged him as hard as she did in the land of the waves cutting off his circulation in the process. He was here to stay.

With her.

"…I cleaned your house Sasuke-kun… welcome home…" She said.

Sasuke didn't say anything but the look on his face said everything that Sakura knew he wished he could say.

"I guess I should say thanks…" Sasuke said, a smirk visible through his bloody face.

"After I take you to the hospital… and get your wounds healed." She replied.

"That would be a smarter thing to do."

Sakura giggled a bit and picked him up, throwing his right arm over her shoulders, walking slowly to not strain him, and to take in the perfect night, that would bring her nothing but pleasant dreams, now that she knew, he was home, he wasn't going to leave anymore…

"You're not gonna leave again, are you Sasuke-kun?" she asked, her green eyes colliding with his black ones, making her almost lose her balance with him alongside her. She didn't want anything else but to hear the simple answer she wished he would have given her so many years ago.

"…where else am I gonna go?" he asked her, hiding away all her fears, doubts, and securing in her, infinite peace. Sakura didn't need anything anymore, as she continued in the cold night air. He brought her life back to her, just as she gave him his sanity back, fitting himself just where he needed to be, where he always was supposed to be.

Spring bloomed back into both their lives again, through the cold harsh winter that they went through. And they survived, somehow, but they did.


End file.
